Take Control of Testing

I apologize for the lack of posts recently, but I have been on a much needed spring break vacation at Myrtle Beach.  I have spent the entire week tanning and relaxing sharpening my saw.  Anyway, the day we get back from break teachers will be frantically preparing their students for the state tests.  From a counseling perspective, I work with students on tips for doing their best and controlling their anxiety like getting a good night sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, taking deep breaths, reading directions carefully, slashing the trash, taking your time, and doing your best, etc.  Guidance lessons on test taking tips can turn boring real quick. That's why I loved this idea from from Pinterest.  I found a coloring page of a blank remote control here and using the ActiveBoard we had a class discussion on important tips students can remember to help them do better.  I wrote a tip over every button on the remote and I explained to students that they can control how they do on the test by following these tips just like you control what the players do on video games.  The students were excited to make their own right when they saw the picture of the PlayStation remote! It was a great activity to make test taking fun.